'Unprecedented tragedy': 11 now dead in NC with airlift underway in mountains; new video shows I-40 destruction

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SYLVA, N.C. (WNCN/AP) — New video Sunday showed the devastation of Interstate 40 in the North Carolina mountains — one of nearly 300 roads still closed after historic flooding from Tropical Storm Helene on Friday.

Meanwhile, in a news briefing early Sunday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper said 11 people in North Carolina had died from Helene — up from 10 on Saturday. Cooper also said more than 550 North Carolina National Guard troops were deployed to help after the disaster, an increase from 410 on Saturday.

The death toll in Buncombe County alone stood at 10 on Sunday morning, but Sheriff Quintin Miller indicated it will likely go higher.

Telephone, cellphone and internet outages were making it difficult for authorities to notify families of the dead. Officials said Sunday that 41 people were rescued in one area of Buncombe County on Saturday.

“This is an unprecedented tragedy that requires and unprecedented response,” Cooper said Sunday.

State officials were trying to deliver several tractor-trailers of water and other items to Buncombe County and Asheville, but mudslides on Interstate 40 and other roadways were preventing supplies from making it through.

New NCDOT video on Sunday showed tremendous damage to at least one direction of I-40 near Sylva with other areas eroded by the Pigeon River under the highway, which has receded from overflowing on Friday.

The bend in the river in an I-40 stretch near the Tennessee line was at its banks Friday and early Saturday after Helene dumped more than 2 feet of rain on the mountains. Water from the river cut under parts of I-40 in areas that appeared normal from the surface.

Officials said of about 300 roads still closed 50 were considered major routes and continued to tell motorists to consider all of western North Carolina closed for driving.

Floodwaters pushed by the remnants of Hurricane Helene left North Carolina’s largest mountain city isolated Saturday by damaged roads and a lack of power and cellphone service.

“Oh, we are hanging in there and trying to get over the shock of what’s happened in Asheville. But doing all right, just recovering,” said Laura Reiley, an employee at the Moxy Hotel in Asheville.

The storm blew out a hotel window, knocked down awnings and spread tree debris everywhere, she said.

Reiley says there is now a crowd of people outside the hotel using their free Wi-Fi to reach family and friends.

“We have what I call campers hanging out around the front of the hotel because they’re able to use our Wi-Fi, which is great because they can get in touch with family and friends and so we don’t have a problem with that,” she said.

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Rodney Overton

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